Richards romps to Targa No.4

Jim Richards has claimed a record fourth Targa Tasmania after surviving some of the worst conditions the event has seen.

Richards romps to Targa No.4

14 May 2000

Jim Richards has claimed a record fourth Targa Tasmania after surviving some of the worst conditions the event has seen.

Richards (pictured) remained cool during torrential rain which caused havoc among Targa entrants on Saturday, second-last day of the gruelling six-day event. Targa organisers and race veterans said the rain possibly was the worst in the event's history, turning conditions treacherous and visibility poor and causing any number of cars to spear off the road.

And, after an epic charge through the field, former twice winner Greg Crick (pictured) finished seventh outright in his Honda Australia/drive.com.au Integra Type R. Bob Jennings, driving a similar Type R with drive.com.au sponsorship was an impressive 23rd outright, having hauled in 10 places in the last two days of the event.

Second outright going into the Targa's last day, Victorian driver Warwick Freemantle crashed his GTR V-Spec on the first stage of the day.

Former rally great Walter Roehrl looked to have the Targa's Classics category won in a Porsche 356 GT until a broken gearbox linkage dropped him to an unrepresentative 109th in the class. The class eventually went to Queenslander Graham Copeland's Datsun 1600 SSS, ahead of Jeremy Browne's Lancia Fulvia HF and Greg Garwood's 1974 Porsche 911 RSR.

The Touring Classic class was won by John Williamson in an Austin-Healey Sprite, ahead of another Sprite driven by Philip Nichols.

The Historic class went to Victorian driver John Lawson and his son Andrew in a superb 1938 Alfa Romeo Mille Miglia Spyder, ahead of Robert van Wegen's Bristol 400.

Of the 313 starters, 280 cars finished the event.

Meanwhile, Sydney driver David Culkin, badly injured when his Porsche 968 hit a tree mid-Targa and airlifted from Launceston to Royal Hobart Hospital, was yesterday listed as satisfactory.